Brass & Cowrie Shell Earrings KENYA

Cowrie shells have many meanings, including: Power and trade In the 16th century, Europeans used cowrie shells to enter African trade markets, where they bought goods and people. Cowries were also used as currency until the 20th century because they are durable, divisible, and easy to identify. Protection Africans used cowries as charms for protection, and historians speculate that cowries may have been brought to America as talismans to resist enslavement. Wealth and destiny Cowrie shells are a popular material for use in jewelry and other forms of adornment, and are associated with prosperity and destiny. Fertility, birth, and womanhood In Mende culture, cowrie shells are viewed as symbols of womanhood, fertility, birth, and wealth. Good luck In the Fiji Islands, cowrie shells are known to bring good luck and to protect the spirit of the wearer. Sexual pleasure In the Fiji Islands, cowrie shells are worn on a necklace by chieftains